SearchPublisher and Institutes
You are here: Home :: Area NEM :: Life sciences :: Biochemistry
A.S.M. Kamruzzahan, Ferry Kienberger, Cordula M. Stroh, Jörg Berg, Ralf Huss, Andreas Ebner, Rong Zhu, Christian Rankl, Hermann J. Gruber, Peter Hinterdorfer
Imaging morphological details and pathological differences of red blood cells using tapping-mode AFM
Keywords: AFM, erythrocytes, Imaging, molecular recognition, red blood cells, SLE
The surface topography of red blood cells (RBCs) was investigated under near-physiological conditions using atomic force microscopy (AFM). An immobilization protocol was established where RBCs are coupled via molecular bonds of the membrane glycoproteins to wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), which is covalently and flexibly tethered to the support. This results in a tight but non-invasive attachment of the cells. Using tapping-mode AFM, which is known as gentle imaging mode and therefore most appropriate for soft biological samples like erythrocytes, it was possible to resolve membrane skeleton structures without major distortions or deformations of the cell surface. Significant differences in the morphology of RBCs from healthy humans and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were observed on topographical images. The surface of RBCs from SLE patients showed characteristic circular-shaped holes with approx. 200 nm in diameter under physiological conditions, a possible morphological correlate to previously published changes in the SLE erythrocyte membrane.
Biological Chemistry, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1431-6730
Volume: 385, 10/2004
Pages: 955 - 960